Can you imagine having difficulty participating in discussions or even expressing basic wants and needs? As you can imagine, students with speech or language deficits that are unable to communicate effectively can become frustrated and withdrawn.
I am a speech and language pathologist at an inner-city public school in the state of Illinois.
I work with students in preschool through eighth grade with several different speech and language disorders. The students I work with are typically from low income households, and the majority of them have been diagnosed with autism, developmental delays, and/or learning disabilities.
All of the students I work with have so much to share and contribute. However, it is not always easy for them to communicate because of their disorders. A great number of my students have trouble expressing their very basic wants and needs. This can be very frustrating for the students, and, at times, can lead them to become socially withdrawn from peers and teachers.
My Project
I am requesting 1 iPad for my classroom.
The iPad is such an effective device that can be used to target and treat many speech and language disorders. It is extremely versatile and can not only be used as a therapy tool, but can also be used as a way to monitor progress, enhance motivation, and provide positive reinforcement. The best thing about the iPad is that it can be tailored to target each individual student's needs.
Several different companies have created iPad applications and programs that can be used to treat the following: apraxia, articulation disorders, stuttering, voice disorders, pragmatic deficits, and expressive/receptive language disorders. The iPad provides efficient means for targeting specific goals and tracking progress for each individual student through access to the internet and technological resources. It truly is a wonderful tool that is fun for the students to use!
The ability to communicate is something that many people take for granted.
My students struggle with this aspect so integral to everyday life, and they want nothing more than the ability to communicate more effectively. The hard work and dedication my students exhibit constantly amazes and inspires me. Please help my students get an iPad, which will be a fun, effective, interactive tool that will help them succeed.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Laskowski and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.